THE Government last night gave the go-ahead for the second Mersey River crossing and pledged £209m of funding for the scheme.

The historic announcement came after Runcorn bridge bore the brunt of a day of transport chaos, as strike action by public service workers closed both Mersey tunnels and the ferry service.

Thousands of extra motorists travelled via Runcorn, causing long delays as commuters struggled to find alternative ways across the Mersey.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's decision means work can now begin on designing the new second bridge and securing contractors. Building is now expected to begin in 2011 and should be completed by 2014.

Mr Darling said: "The proposed new bridge would bring significant benefits to the local communities of Runcorn and Widnes, improve access to key developments such as Liverpool John Lennon Airport and help to support the continuing economic growth on Merseyside."

Halton council chief executive David Par said: "This is the biggest decision for Merseyside since Capital of Culture. It is a momentous day and the culmination of 15 years of work."

Liverpool in Pictures/ YO! Liverpool has taken me over 10 years to develop and maintain.

I tend to use the bridge at least 2/3 times a week, depending on which way I travel to work. Have to say I don't find the congestion too bad - guess I tend to travel at the right times. Is a second bridge really required?

City centre to M56 superhighway plan

This looks interesting, with the idea being to make Riverside Drive a dual carriageway right down to Kings Dock, alleviating pressure on Park Road and Aigburth Road. I dont like the idea of Speke-Widnes road becoming a toll road though, you already have to pay to get into Liverpool from the west, there have been sugestions that the M62 may have tolls, and now its proposed from the south.

SteH
I am of the understanding that a Toll will only be for the bridges and not the whole route.
It has been suggested that the 'old bridge' will be for local trafic only.
In saying that HBC have a habit of moving the goal posts at thier leasure and inform the players some time later.

Phredd

In the days when we had nothing we had fun.If tomorrow starts without me, remember I was here.

SteH
I am of the understanding that a Toll will only be for the bridges and not the whole route.
It has been suggested that the 'old bridge' will be for local trafic only.
In saying that HBC have a habit of moving the goal posts at thier leasure and inform the players some time later.

Phredd

Thats what I had always thought about the toll, but this article doest make things clear, using the words "the Speke-Widnes road will be the starting point for a new 10km toll route".

THESE are the stunning new images of the second bridge across the Mersey. more

It is of a similar design as the Sunshine Skyway bridge that straddles Tampa Bay, at it's mouth, to link St Petersburg Beach and Bradenton in Florida. The link, below, has some nice shots and some light hearted text. http://www.jumperpool.com/pix01.htm

I'm concerned about turning Riverside Drive into a busy highway though. With all the redevelopment of Otterspool and the Garden Festival site, won't a huge 4-lane road cut them off, just like The Strand is a barrier to the docks from the city centre?

I'm concerned about turning Riverside Drive into a busy highway though. With all the redevelopment of Otterspool and the Garden Festival site, won't a huge 4-lane road cut them off, just like The Strand is a barrier to the docks from the city centre?

I suppose it will mate yes, however. I assume the super duper highway will be used by mainly those traveling in from outer areas (Runcorn etc) and thats what they'll use on their outward journey rather than use Aigburth Rd, which took me 20 mins to crawl along this evening, I've never known it so bad!

Residents of Liverpool, Aigburth etc will still use the area as they do now except without the silly congestion.

I hope I've got your drift there and not missed your point.

Liverpool in Pictures/ YO! Liverpool has taken me over 10 years to develop and maintain.

I had the (dis)Pleasure of traveling from Widnes to Liverpool along Speke Boulevard. When are they going to stop the digging up of this busy raod. One day it is fine, landscaped and clean, next day "chaos".
How much money has been spent (wasted) on this road over the past 5 years.
I think they are laying a new watermain; blue pipes ?

As for the 'super highway'. What will become of Jericho Lane ?

Phredd

Think I will put my brain to bed now. It is hurting.

In the days when we had nothing we had fun.If tomorrow starts without me, remember I was here.

Didn't realise how bad traffic was on Aigburth Rd - rush hour on Smithdown Rd is bad enough! I thought the Knowsley Expressway was meant to take traffic away from Speke & Aigburth and send it to the M62 instead (as well as people going up the M57)?

On what I saw in the papers the other day, the toll booths looked to be quite a way before the bridges, where the road first enters Widnes. I wonder what would happen if you're travelling down there just to get to Widnes and not across the bridge.

Aigburth Road, south of Aigburth Vale will get even busier then if Riverside Drive is widened as it joins Aigburth Road via Jericho Lane.
Why bring Aigburth Road (Park Road end) into the argument as it's only really busy in peak periods, and isn't touched by people using Riverside Drive?

I've just read the latest post and see that they've changed their minds.
Common sense prevails.
I came to the Dingle in 1991 and my next door neighbour told me there had been plans (1970s/1980s?) to make Park Road a dual carriageway, which would have left the Ancient Chapel in the central reservation!
The recent proposal to dual Park Road was ridiculous from the start because in the past few years a lot of new buildings have been put up on both sides of the road.